It is well known to investigate thin films with electromagnetic radiation. For instance over 170 Patents by the J.A. Woollam company provide great insight to many aspects of the technique. Some of the more relevant thereof as regards the present invention are:                U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,265,839 and 7,920,264 to Tiwald, which discloses a Horizonataly Oriented Attenuation total Reflection system for application in methodology that apply Spectroscopic Ellipsometer or Polarimeter systems;        U.S. Pat. No. 7,636,161 to Tiwald which discloses a system and method for reducing reflections of a beam of electromagnetism from the back surface of a sample;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,738,139 to Synowicki et al., which discloses a method for determining bulk refractive indicies of fluids utilizing thin films thereof on a roughened surface of a two sided rigid or semirigid object;        U.S. Pat. No. 7,777,883 to Synowicki et al., which discloses a system for reducing reflections of a beam of electromagnetic radiation from the back surface of an anisotropic sample, and methodology of for investigating the incident front surface thereof with electromagnetic radiation;        U.S. Pat. No. 7,187,443 to Synowicki et al., which discloses a method for determining bulk refractive indicies of flowable liquids utilizing thin films thereof on a roughened surface of a rigid or semirigid object;        U.S. Pat. No. 7,239,391 to Synowicki et al., which discloses Spectroscopic ellipsometer system mediated methodology for quantifying later defining parameters in mathematical models of samples which contain a plurality of layers of different materials, at least some of which are absorbing of electromagnetic radiation;        U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,531,665, 8,130,375 and 7,817,266 to Pfeiffer et al. which describe small internal volume cells having fluid entry and exit ports for use in ellipsometer systems that cause electromagnetic radiation to reflect from samples therewithin.        
Published Patent Applications to Fujimaki et al. Nos. 2013/0293896 and 2014/0170024 describe systems for investigating refractive index changing materials comprising use of Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) and Waveguide effects, preferably using an “S” polarized beam of electromagnetic radiation. A Detection Plate that is constructed from a Glass Substrate upon which is caused to be present Silicon and Silicon Oxide layers, is positioned so as to receive materials on the Silicon Oxide layer, and the presence of such materials changes the refractive index, leading to changes in Reflectivity, which can be measured. Electromagnetic radiation is directed to interact with the Detection Plate and materials present at it's Silicon Oxide layer via an optical Prism that imposes a Total Internal Reflection configuration at the point whereat the Silicon Oxide and Index changing materials are caused to be present. These references concern improving results obtainable by application of Surface Plasmon Resonance effects, by combining them with the effects of Waveguides. These references are focused on investigation of isotropic materials and make no reference to enhancing detection of surface-normal optical reflections from anisotropic thin films using attenuated total internal reflection. Doing so, as does the present invention, greatly enhances the ability to detect even very small, (eg. when 1% of that parallel to a sample surface plane, is present perpendicular to said sample surface plane), anisotropic properties in a sample, so that a majority of a “p” polarized beam of electromagnetic radiation interacting with said anisotropic absorbing sample appears in a measurable “rp” coefficient, where “rp” is a Freshnel Coefficient in the basic equation of Ellipsometry:p=rp/rs Tan(ψ)exp(iΔ).Note “rs” refers to that component of a polarized beam of electromagnetic radiation which is parallel to said sample surface plane, while “rp” is perpendicular thereto, and Psi (ψ) and Delta (Δ) are a ratio of “rp” and “rs”, and phase angle therebetween, respectively.
It is emphasized that the two Fujimaki et al. 896 and 024 references do not concern or suggest measurement of anisotropic surface-normal sample properties, let alone enhancement thereof. The thin film in said 896 and 024 references is not a material that is deposited onto a substrate which demonstrate anisotropic effects, but rather the system thereof detects changes in reflectivity caused in said system based on material added later which is caused to adhere to a surface in said system. As is presented later in this Specification, the present invention is focused on measuring anisotropic effects in absorbing samples which are deposited onto a substrate, with greater sensitivity than is possible when doing direct investigation thereof with electromagnetic radiation. Further, no added materials are involved that serve to change reflectivity in the present invention system.
Additional known references are:                U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,633,724 and 5,437,840; andPublished Applications:        2010/0167946 by Shaw et al.; 2013/0114079 by Zheng et al. and 2008/0130004 by Pyo et al.        
The references cited are incorporated by reference hereinto.
Even in view of known prior art, need remains for methodology that enables determining surface normal optical functions of anisotropic absorbing thin films, and more particularly to methodology for enhancing the sensitivity to “p” polarized electromagnetic radiation reflected from both interfaces of an anisotropic absorbing film.